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Advocates call on small farmers to weigh in on processing plant grant program
Farmers raising small herds of beef cattle, pigs or other meat animals in Oregon may have an easier time processing their meat for sale at farmers markets or grocers under rules being considered by the state Agriculture Department. Advocates for small farms want to be sure the state is paying attention to their needs as […]
As health officials expected, Omicron detected in Oregon but few details available
Omicron has come to Oregon. The Oregon Health Authority announced Monday evening that the highly infectious strain had been detected in three people in their 20s or 30s who have been fully vaccinated. The agency did not release any details about their identities, including their gender. The agency also said it does not yet have […]
Oregon farmers and ranchers likely to see $100 million in fresh state relief
Oregon lawmakers on Monday will consider a disaster relief package of nearly $100 million to help Oregon farmers, ranchers and irrigation districts recover from two years of wildfires, ice, excessive heat and drought. The Oregon Legislature convenes in what is expected to be a one-day session originally set to consider increasing rent relief. But Gov. […]
A lack of affordable housing, child care holding Oregon back, agency says
Oregon’s latest economic forecast paints a rosy picture of the state’s recovery. Wages have grown and household spending is strong. In a year, employment is expected to be fully recovered. But not everyone is enjoying a robust recovery, which is something Business Oregon, the state’s economic development agency, aims to fix. This summer it secured […]
Gov. Brown names 2 new members to the state Board of Agriculture
UPDATED: Thursday, Dec. 9, 2021 at 3:35 p.m. Gov. Kate Brown appointed two new people to the Oregon Board of Agriculture. Miguel Lopez, a Carlton vintner and owner of a consultancy, Red Dirt Vineyard Management Co., will fill the board’s public member position, and Eric Orem, who grows hay and wheat in Heppner, will take […]
Oregonians faced dozens of price increases for drugs last year
Drug prices rose again last year for dozens of drugs in Oregon, and nearly 200 new higher-priced drugs hit the market. Those are two highlights from Oregon’s latest drug price transparency report, which will be released next week. Key points were covered on Wednesday at a meeting that brought together lawmakers, experts and officials involved […]
Christmas tree growers adapt to Oregon’s destructive heat wave
The summer’s extreme heat wave decimated scores of Christmas trees. Many older trees suffered sunburn while many seedlings were killed. But don’t worry about scoring a tree for your home this season. “There will be plenty of trees,” said Chal Landgren, Christmas tree specialist at Oregon State University’s Extension Service. “But I would suggest people […]
Oregon Health Authority director: ‘We know almost nothing about Omicron’
Scientists know little about Omicron but they expect it to emerge in Oregon this week. “We know almost nothing about Omicron,” Patrick Allen, director of the Oregon Health Authority told the Oregon Health Policy Board on Tuesday. He said there has been a lot of “supposition and speculation” in the media that is “well-informed” but […]
Oregon state senator honored for pressing for fixes to Oregon’s foster care system
State Sen. Sara Gelser Blouin has been working on child welfare issues for a long time. In 2007, after being elected to the Oregon House for Corvallis, the Democrat sponsored Karly’s Law, which strengthened protections for abused children. In 2015, she was elected to the state Senate, where she spearheaded legislation that makes investigations into […]
Oregon scientists know enough about Omicron to be worried
The latest Covid-19 variant of concern has never appeared in Oregon – ever. Dr. Melissa Sutton, the Oregon Health Authority’s medical director of respiratory viral pathogens, reviewed all of the state’s genome sequencing data on Covid-19 samples last week. She told the Capital Chronicle that none of the samples resembled Omicron. But that’s likely to […]
State officials step up testing for Omicron variant
State officials said they’re stepping up variant testing to identify Omicron when it arrives in Oregon. The new strain, which was first detected last month in Botswana and then South Africa, turned up in California on Wednesday, and on Thursday three new cases emerged in New York, Minnesota and Colorado. It might only be days […]
After more than three decades, U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio is done with Congress
Peter DeFazio was waiting for three things to happen before he ended his decades-long congressional career. First, Donald Trump needed to be out of the White House. Second, Oregon needed its long-awaited sixth congressional district. And finally, Democrats needed to control Congress. He finally checked those three boxes this year, and now he’s ready to […]